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Liverpool Echo
Liverpool Echo
Sport
Joe Thomas

Tom Davies starts for Everton as formation changes for Brighton

Tom Davies replaces Amadou Onana but Ben Godfrey starts on the bench for Everton as Frank Lampard looks to build on the battling point Everton earned at Manchester City.

Davies comes in with Onana absent after earning his fifth booking of the league campaign at the Etihad. He is one of two changes from the New Year's Eve starting line-up as Dwight McNeil also gets a start. McNeil's introduction means Godfrey, who won plaudits for his duel with Erling Haaland on Saturday, falls to the bench.

The changes suggest Lampard will return to the 4-3-3 formation he has favoured since he turned to the system against Leeds United. He had employed three centre backs against City.

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Dominic Calvert-Lewin offers Lampard a boost as he starts for the second game running. The striker, surely Everton's most effective solution to their recent goalscoring problems, played 60 minutes on Saturday and starts again. Anthony Gordon, who was absent due to illness last time out, is not in the squad but Yerry Mina, who also missed out in Manchester due to illness and who started last time out at Goodison, is on the bench.

Ellis Simms, recalled from a loan spell at Sunderland as Lampard explores every option in his hunt for goals, is on the bench alongside Neal Maupay. As well as McNeil, Calvert-Lewin will be supported by Gray, who retains his place after his stunning strike against Man City.

Pickford; Patterson, Coady, Tarkowski, Mykolenko; Davies, Iwobi, Gueye, Calvert-Lewin, Gray, McNeil

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